Losing Faith
by Rage of Lunacy
Summary: "I never asked to be the hero. Heroes can't promise they'll come home." Bleach/Assassin's Creed crossover. Multi-chapter. Rated T for language, possible "awkward" situations, and possible scenes of violence should I decide to write them. Not sharing intended pairings because I want you to figure them out as we go! Bad summaries are bad, and AP students have no time.


**In the Name of Faith has been discontinued, and replaced with Losing Faith. I wasn't too happy with where it was going, so I decided to fix that. And this is what happened. I think it elaborates more than the original, and I think I like it better.**

**Title: Losing Faith**

**Rated: T, for language, some awkward situations, and possible scenes of violence should I decide to write them.**

**Pairings: I think you'll pick up on them. Try to guess.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Bleach or Assassin's Creed franchises.**

**Summary: "I never asked to be the hero. Heroes can never promise they'll come home."**

****The chapters are named after the song I listened to while writing them, if you're interested in hearing the intended tone. I'll include the title and artist before I start the chapter itself.**

**Chapter 1: Moments in Life**

_**Moments in Life – SoundEpica**_

_I don't think any of us asked for this burden, this never-ending struggle. I think we were asked to take up arms simply because we were capable, and because no one else would. It's a sad thought, really, that we've spent this entire time knee-deep in bodies over something as trivial as a bitter rivalry that began hundreds of years ago. The Pieces of Eden were lost to time. We shouldn't be fighting anymore, but we are. Now, it's a matter of honor and morals, as it has been since humankind stood itself completely upright._

_Today is July 15, 20XX. Today is the day everything changes. Perhaps the mentor planned this, but today being my nineteenth birthday is far from why. Today is the day I'm supposed to defy all odds and defeat the Templar Grandmaster, a task I was chosen for before I could lift a blade. _

_Today is the day I free my home from their "perfect world," where no man has his own free will. I know their purpose is not to subject all beneath their power; it's a misconception that many of my brothers make as a false justification to mask their uncertainty. To them, freedom is the cause of chaos and upheaval, purpose and direction are the key to a perfect world, and obtaining control is the simplest way to bring humanity up from its animalistic roots. They share our pursuit of peace, but not of freedom._

_I don't mind dying, as long as I give the others the chance to end this before even more innocent blood is spilt. In truth, I don't fight today for the morals of the Brotherhood, or the honor of the creed. I stand and fight today to protect the streets I ran in as a child, the clinic my father ran before his death, the gravestones standing tall in the cemetery, marking where my family lies waiting. I fight to protect the bright smiles and dirt-smudged faces of the children outside the compound whose parents can't afford to move within the protective cloak of the Assassins. I fight to protect those I hold dear from a lifetime of suffering worse than any of us have experienced thus far._

_I fight to protect my reasons for existing; to preserve those precious memories that should never be forgotten._

_My name is Ichigo Kurosaki. I have been as Assassin as long as I can remember. I was born to Isshin and Masaki Kurosaki nineteen years ago, here in Karakura. Four years later, I was blessed with twin sisters, Yuzu and Karin. When I was six, my family home was attacked by the Templars. I was left orphaned and absolutely alone, my life spared by chance when Shiro found me in the aftermath. The story is vague at best, but it's all I was ever told. My memories before the age of seven have been repressed, and I've never made any effort to dig them up. I never saw any reason as to why I should, so I left it alone. I don't know my family, and it's moments like these – up during the small hours, restless and yearning for things unknown – that I wish I did. Not to say that I grew up like the tragic orphan illustrated in books. _

_It's quite the contrary, actually. I had a mother figure, older siblings, even what could theoretically be a father. The memories I have, I cherish wholeheartedly. Memories like stargazing with Renji during the summer solstice, or racing Sado and Tatsuki across the rooftops; the way my heart pounded before my first leap of faith; how my breath hitches in my chest each time _he_ smiles at me; Rukia's wedding and the face Byakuya made when he saw Renji standing at the altar; getting the "talk" from Starrk when I was fifteen; how heavy the world felt when we honored Shinji; the blind rage that coursed through me the first time I met Aizen… These moments, each second spent awake, mean the world to me. To me, not having the chance to experience things like that is the worst deprivation an individual could suffer from. I want to make sure that the expected children get that chance. They deserve that much, and more than I could ever give._

_But I'm getting ahead of myself again. Today is the day, and here I am looking back on moments in life like my death is as certain as the sun's rise in the morning. How this all began, how I met _him _and how I realized why I fight is just as important. _

_I started out just like any of us, eager to uphold the tenants at all costs. Somewhere along the way, I changed, though I'm not sure whether it was for the better._

"_Stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent." Peace in all things._

"_Hide in plain sight." Be unseen._

"_Never compromise the Brotherhood." Actions must never bring harm to all._

"_Nothing is true." The foundations of society are fragile; we are the shepherds of our own civilization._

"_Everything is permitted." We are the architects of our own actions and must live with their consequences, whether glorious or tragic._

"_We work in the shadows to serve the light." Our immortal souls are nothing in comparison to the progression of mankind and individuality._

"_We are Assassins."_

**And there we have it. I hope this upholds the standards I may/may not have set in Name of Faith. I feel like this was kinda patchwork-ish, but it's a tired POV so maybe that's not so bad. If you're reading this, I will be removing In the Name of Faith sometime after Christmas. Hopefully, I'll have this going somewhere before then so that all of you wonderful people can continue reading Ichigo's journey through the meaning of the tenants. **

**Thank you so much for reading! Please review and tell me what you think! Any and all mistakes are mine, as I have no beta (I proofread my works myself) and typically write during the wee hours of the morning. I appreciate each and every one of you readers! Remember to check my bio for updates if you like what I write, and shoot me an email with your pen name as the subject if you have a request or simply want to talk to me (though I can't see why you'd want to). **

**Have a great day, night, afternoon, or morning! **

**Jayy**

**Losing Faith, Chapter 1  
Saturday, December 07, 2013  
1:27AM**


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